SAN DIEGO – Duke women’s soccer graduate Imani Dorsey and the NJ/NY Gotham FC squad won the 2023 NWSL Championship over the weekend with a 2-1 victory over OL Reign in San Diego, Calif.
Gotham FC opened the scoring in the 25th minute on a skillful play initiated by Midge Purce. The winger sliced through OL Reign’s defense, maneuvering around three defenders. She beat one with a meg, glided around another and beat by the last one to play the ball across the goal to an open Lynn Williams, who struck a low driven ball to the bottom corner. The goal was Williams’ second in a final and her fourth career playoff goal.
In the 29th minute, OL Reign evened the score with a goal from Rose Lavelle.
Gotham FC found the back of the net again in stoppage time of the first half. Purce played the ball towards the top of the six-yard box, where 2023 World Cup champion Esther of Spain redirected a header into goal. Esther became the fifth player to score in a NWSL final the same year that they won the Women’s World Cup.
Going into the half, Gotham FC had 55 percent possession compared to OL Reign’s 45 percent. The club also led in shots with six total, while the Reign only had two.
In the 59th minute, goalkeeper Mandy Haught was called upon when Reign forward Veronica Latsko broke free and had a one-on-one opportunity. Haught cut down the angle and made the save to keep the game at 2-1.
Gotham FC’s defense then held OL Reign without another shot until deep into stoppage time.
With OL Reign pushing for a late equalizer, a dangerous through ball was ruled by VAR to have been handled by Haught outside of the 18-yard box, resulting in a red card for the Gotham FC goalkeeper in the seventh minute of added time.
With Gotham FC out of substitutes, midfielder Nealy Martin went in goal for the second time this year, both in San Diego, and her wall stood tall on the free kick by Lavelle in the 12th minute of added time to deny what turned out to be the final chance of the match for the Reign.
With the win, Gotham FC completed the best turnaround season-to-season in NWSL history. Additionally, Purce was named the NWSL Championship MVP for her stellar performance.
Dorsey, a 2018 Blue Devil graduate, did not compete in the match or see action during the 2023 season due to personal reasons. Fellow 2018 Duke graduate, Quinn, came off the…
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